Fringe



1933- a. J. UNDERWOODI 1,899,219

"was

Filed Juno 7, 19:52

Ida

TOR Mm ATTORNEY;

Fate-med Feb. 28, $33

warran STATES PATENT OFFICE QABFIELD J. UNTDEEWOOD, OF AMSTERDAM, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOB TO MOHAWK CARPET MILES, INC., AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK FRINGE Application filed June 7,

This invention relates to fringes of the type used, for example, withpile fabrics in the manufacture of rugs, and is concerned moreparticularly with a novel fringe which is superior to t ose heretoforeemployed in that the fringe has a fuller, richer body and the fringeends cannot be readily pulled out. The invention also comprehends amethod of producing the new fringe rapidly and at low cost.

Fringe for use with pile fabrics has heretofore commonly consisted ofwarp threads and weft threads interlaced therewith to form a fabric, thewarp threads being arranged in *roups across the fabric with spacesbetween t e groups so that the fabric consists of several webs which areto form the bodies of pieces of fringe while the spaces between the websare filled only with weft threads which form the fringe ends. In weavingsuch a n fabric, the groups of warp threads are manipulated by the usualheddle mechanism to form sheds in which the weft threads are inserted bya shuttle or needle and the fabric thus produced has a selvedge at bothsides thereof. The fabric may include several webs between the twoselvedges and to form the bands of fringe, the weft threads are cut atappropriate intervals. Each band of fringe includes web and weft threadswhich form the fringe ends but only two of the hands into. which thefabric is divided have selvedges which will prevent the weft threadsfrom be ing pulled out, In the remainder of the bands, the weft threadsare not bound to the warp threads but are simply interlaced therewithand when one of the intermediate bands is attached to a piece of fabricin the usual way by stitching, the loose fringe ends are not securelyheld in position and are easily detached.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a fringe which maybe woven in the form of a fabric made up of a plurality of webs orbands, the fabric being so construct- 7 ed that when it is sub-dividedinto the indi- 1932. Serial No 615,782..

vidual fringe bands, the latter may be attached to the pile fabric insuch a way as to have a selvedge which prevents the weft threads frombeing readily pulled loose.

The new fabric is woven in the usual Way and it comprises groups of warpthreads arranged in pairs and weft threads which are interlaced with allof the warp threads. The warp threads used as binders are of small sizeand preferably of cotton and the weft threads which form the loose endsof the fringe are of much larger size and of the type known as cords,these fringecords also preferably being made of cotton. The binderthreads and fringe cords are interwoven in such manner that each cordpasses straight through each of the webs formed by the interweaving ofthe fringe cords and binder threads and passes alternately over andunder each binder thread in a web, each fringe cord thus extendingstraight across the entire fringe fabric and lying parallel to theadjacent cords. The pairs of groups of warp threads are spaced asubstantial distance apart with the spaces filled only by weft threads,and the groups of a single pair are spaced apart a short distanceby theomission of a relatively few warp threads. Upon completion of thefabric, it is sub-divided into fringe pieces by cutting the weft threadsmidway between the pairs of groups of warp threads, and each piece ofthe fabric thus roduced comprises a pair of groups of warp t readsspaced 9. short distance and weft threads interlaced with the Warpthreads and extending out to either side of the two groups of warpthreads. Each piece is then folded lengthwise along a line which liesbetween the two groups of warp threads, only .the weft threads beingbent in this folding operation, and the two webs of the piece are thusplaced face to face, ready to be laid on the fabric to which the fringeis to be attached by'stitching. I

\Vith this arrangement, it will be observed that each fringe endconsists of a length 90 1 threads in the space in which the foldingoccurs, there is no bulging by reason of the folding and the two webs ofeach piece of fringe may lie in ciose contact and do not givethefinished article an undesirable thick- "nessclong the surface where thefringe is attached. At the same time, the fringe ends are securely heldin place and cannot be readily pulled loose and the fringe has doublethe usual number of ends.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is aplsn view of apiece of the newfabric illustrating the manner in which it is woven Fig. 2 is a View ofa piece of the fringe in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a lengthwise view through a iece of pile fabric to which thefringe is attac ed; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fabric and fringe illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the manner of weaving the new fringe isIllustrated in Fig. 1 and the fabric which is sub-divided to form thepieces of fringe is there illustrated as comprising groups 10 of warpthreads arranged in pairs with the groups of a single pair separated byarelatively small space representing the omission of a few warp threads.The distance between adjacent pairs of groups of warp threads isrelatively much greater and represents the omission of a much largernumber of war threads. the width of the space being depen cut on thelength of the fringe ends desired. lnweaving the fabric, the warpthreads pass through the eyes of the heddles and are ma-- nipulated inthe usual way to form sheds through which weft threads 11 are inserted.Thoseportions of the weft threads whichex- I tend" across the largespaces between pairs of groups of warp threads constitute the fringeends while the interlaced warp and weft threads form the body of a pieceof fringe, the body consisting of the two "webs 10c and 102").

when the fringe fabric is completed, it is sub-divided into pieces offringe by cutting the weft threads along iines l2 and each piece busmade is then folded along a line 13 lying a between the two groups ofwar threads present in the piece. The two we s 10m and 10b then lie oneagainst the other as illustrated in Fig. 2 and the exposed portions 14of the weft threads between the two groups cone stitute a selvedge.

In attaching the fringe to a pile fabric such as that illustrated at 15in Fig. 3, the fringe folded as shown in Fig. 2 is laid upon the heading16 at the end of the fabric, from which the pile tufts have beenomitted, and the piece of fringe is secured in place by one or morelines of stitching 17 which pass through the two webs and bind the websto the heading and also secure the "fringe ends 18 in place.

The completed fringe has more body and fullness than the ordinary fringebecause it has twice as many ends as a fringe produced. in the ordinarymanner. Also, each fringe end is doubled upon itself and bound securelin place by the stitching and an end can pulled out of the fringe onlywith at difiiculty. By forming the fringe in 5i: manner described withthe warp threads arranged in pairs of groups separated by spaces in whicthere are no warp threads, the toiling of the fringe to provide theselvedge can be accomplis ed without undesirable wrinkling or bul g, andthe two webs 10c and 10b of each piece of fringe lie in flat facecontact and can be secured to the pile fabric without difiiculty.

The new fringe is superior to the fringes made in the ordinary manner inthat each fringe has a selvedge, that is, each fringe end passes aroundthe edge of the piece so that an end cannot be easily pulled out,whereas in fringes produced by prior methods, only the two edge portionsof the fabric have the fringe ends bound in this manner and in all theintermediate bands of fringe, the ends are held in place loosely. Also,the new fringe is superior to the ordinary fringe in that it has twicethe number of fringe ends and, therefore, has a greater body andfullness and a much more pleasing appearance.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pile fabric having a headin of a fringeattached to said cords, said webs being substantially wider than thespace between them'and the fringe cords exposed between said webs beingbent to bring one web into face contact with the other, each fringe cordhavin free ends substantially longer than the wi th of said webs andpassing directly through each web and across the space between saidwebs, and means for attaching said fringe to the upper surface of saidheading, said means passing through both webs and said heading.

2. A fringe for use with a floor covering which comprises a row ofstraight relatively large fringe cords lying side by side and two groupsof binder threads of relatively small size lnterwoven therewith to forma pair of webs, and the fringe cords in said space being.

bentto bring said webs into face contact an inregistry, said bent cordsformin reelvedge and the free ends of said co s b81l3- substantiallylonger sa webs.

Intestimony'whereof I afiix my si ature.

GARFIELD J. UNDERW OD.

than the width of

